keeping cigars fresh

I'm a non-smoker but received a pack of mini Montecristos as a gift. I smoked half of them while camping last week, and plan on saving the rest for my next trip in two weeks. Will they stay fresh that long in an opened pack? If not, any reason I shouldn't just stick 'em in the freezer till then?

Re: keeping cigars fresh

Originally Posted by Megawatt

I'm a non-smoker but received a pack of mini Montecristos as a gift. I smoked half of them while camping last week, and plan on saving the rest for my next trip in two weeks. Will they stay fresh that long in an opened pack? If not, any reason I shouldn't just stick 'em in the freezer till then?

Put the remaining cigars in a zip lock baggie. Place that baggie into a larger zip lock baggie and insert a throw away humidifier packet or dampen a folded paper towel with distilled water and place inside the larger zip lock. That should keep them humidified until your next trip. Make sure you store them in a relatively cool place (around 65 degrees if possible). Note: just dampen the paper towel, don't over moisten.

“Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” - P.J. O’Rourke Greg's "bourbondork" blog

Re: keeping cigars fresh

Originally Posted by Megawatt

I'm a non-smoker but received a pack of mini Montecristos as a gift. I smoked half of them while camping last week, and plan on saving the rest for my next trip in two weeks. Will they stay fresh that long in an opened pack? If not, any reason I shouldn't just stick 'em in the freezer till then?

My understanding is that freezing them is not damaging, as long as they are thawed and re-humidified slowly (eg from freezer to fridge to room temp) as to not "shock" the cigar and cause seperation.

Re: keeping cigars fresh

It is not a good idea to store cigars in a freezer or refrigerator for prolonged periods, since it can have a negative effect on taste. To kill cigar beetles and their larvae, cigars can be placed in a freezer for 48 hours. After 48 hours, they must be carefully returned to room temperture by first moving them to the refrigerator. If they are warmed too quickly, you risk havving the wrappers split.

Re: keeping cigars fresh

I've used this process on a number of occasions to keep my cigars properly humidified. There was a time I had more cigars than humidor space and they kept just fine. I just had to make sure the paper towels were kept lightly damp. Instead of purchasing a larger (traditional) humidor, I went to Costco, purchased a 180 qt cooler and now store my cigars in the cooler with an Oasis humidifier and keep that in the basement. My cigars stay a constant 64% at 68 degrees. Perfect environment.

“Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” - P.J. O’Rourke Greg's "bourbondork" blog

Re: keeping cigars fresh

Also, refrigerators are designed to withdraw fluids from the air they are chilling. Leaving cigars in a fridge or freezer will dry them out very quickly. This is why they must be placed in zip lock bags prior to being placed into fridges. In general the optimal cigar storage conditions are 65%-70% humidity and 70oF. Variations vastly beyond these limits will usually damage the cigars.

Re: keeping cigars fresh

Originally Posted by ggilbertva

I've used this process on a number of occasions to keep my cigars properly humidified. There was a time I had more cigars than humidor space and they kept just fine. I just had to make sure the paper towels were kept lightly damp. Instead of purchasing a larger (traditional) humidor, I went to Costco, purchased a 180 qt cooler and now store my cigars in the cooler with an Oasis humidifier and keep that in the basement. My cigars stay a constant 64% at 68 degrees. Perfect environment.

I tried the bag trick and my results are suspect. After one week the paper towel was spotted with mould and the cigars are almost damp, though fortunately they don't seem to have been tainted. I hope they aren't ruined before I go camping. Evidently I wet the paper towel too much or something. I took the towel out and put the smokes into a new bag by themselves. They are in a pack like a cigarette pack so they did not actually come into contact with any spores (I hope).

Re: keeping cigars fresh

The mold is not going to kill you. Most cigars smoke better a bit on the dry side, say 65% humidity level. The real problem with over humidifing cigars is the possiblity of cracking the wrapper. If this cracks the cigar will likely smoke like crap. As well, if the filler gets over humidified if might not swell up to crack the wrapper until it is smoked, in effect creating a steam effect. A lot of folks have dry boxes that they place the cigars they anticipate smoking in the next week into so they can dry out a bit and prevent wrapper cracking. This is usually just an old cigar box to provide a stable environment but you can pull out the cigars you anticipate using a few days (3-5 days depending on the humidity level in the air) in advance. Just hand wipe the mold off and enjoy. If you do have cracked wrappers just hold your finger over the crack to re-establish the straw effect and smoke away. Enjoy!